Colin Beattie, the former treasurer of the Scottish National Party (SNP), is facing significant criticism for his management of the party's finances, particularly during the time of Peter Murrell, who has pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,000. Sources within the SNP allege that Beattie was overly secretive and paranoid about leaks, distributing numbered copies of financial accounts during meetings and refusing to allow them to be taken away for scrutiny. This behavior reportedly hindered proper oversight and allowed Murrell's fraudulent activities to go unnoticed. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stated that she was unaware of major fluctuations in the party’s finances, attributing this to Beattie's failure to highlight issues. Critics, including leaders from Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives, have condemned Beattie’s actions, calling for an inquiry into the party's financial practices. Beattie resigned as treasurer in 2023 following his arrest as part of Operation Branchform but has not commented on the scandal or provided assistance to police investigations.